The Sustainable and Nature-friendly Espoo programme will soon be launched. The open call for ideas produced more than 100 development proposals
The Sustainable and Nature-friendly Espoo development programme got off to a brisk start at the turn of the year. In January and February, the development programme organised an open call for ideas to find ways to speed up the sustainability transition in Espoo. Residents, associations, companies, research institutes and City of Espoo employees submitted a total of 107 proposals to make the activities of the City of Espoo and its residents and partners more climate-wise and nature-wise.
“The large number and excellent quality of the proposals came as a total surprise to the steering group. The fact that individuals and organisations have put a great deal of effort into their proposals shows that nature and climate issues are seen as important and that many people feel that they must take measures to protect the environment. This is a great thing!” says programme manager Anna Hakala, commenting on the proposals.
From the Baltic Sea to school yards
On 4 March 2026, the steering group of the Sustainable and Nature-friendly Espoo development programme reviewed the proposals submitted to the call for ideas and selected a number of them for further processing.
The proposals prioritised by the steering group will increase the area covered by new meadows in Espoo and will introduce nature-based solutions to everyday environments of children and young people. The aim is also to encourage Espoo residents with immigrant background to experience nature, to make sustainability work part of associations’ activities and to provide young people with opportunities to become entrepreneurs in the field of nature conservation. The events of the Baltic Sea Day can enhance awareness of the state of our marine environment and encourage action to improve the situation. At the same time, studying the number of users of mountain biking trails, recreational use of nature can be steered in a more sustainable manner.
When selecting proposals for further development, the steering group assessed how the proposals meet the objectives set for the programme and whether investing in the measures will lead to permanent changes in the operating practices of the City of Espoo or its partners and in the cooperation between them.
From an idea to a project in cooperation with the City of Espoo
According to Hakala, in the next stage, the participants will have the opportunity to finalise their ideas in cooperation with the City of Espoo:
“During the spring, more concrete project plans and budgets will be drawn up on the basis of the proposals selected for further development. The City of Espoo will also appoint a person in the city organisation to manage the project.”
The steering group will decide on the launch of the projects on the basis of more detailed project plans. Some of the projects may last until the end of the current council term in 2028, and the shorter ones may also lead to further projects. Proposals not selected for further development at this stage may be included in the programme later. The steering group has not yet decided whether new calls will be launched in the coming years.
“We will first make sure that the first projects will get off to a proper start and will only decide on the future later.”